Grenade launcher



June 5, 1956 R. w. MORAN GRENADE LAUNCHER Filed Feb. 4, 1953 v INVENTOR.

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GRENADE LAUNCHER Robert W. Moran, Springfield, Mass., assi'gnor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army 1 Application February 4, 1953, Serial No. 335,175

2 Claims. (Cl. 421) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to improvements in the firearm grenade launcher of Garand Patent No. 2,455,361 designed for use with the firearms illustrated in Garand Patent No. 2,377,338.

The launcher described in the above patent includes a tube fitting over the end of a rifle such as the Gar'and rifle, Ml caliber .30. A bracket secured to the inner end of the tube includes an offset portion for resilient attachment to the bayonet lug of the rifle and the bracket is provided with a stud extending into the gas chamber for recoil opening of an exhaust valve therein. A split resilient ring positioned in a peripheral groove near the outer end of the tube expands to retain a grenade in firing position on the tube. As the gun and launcher are presently designed, the recoil force of the launcher is absorbed by an arcuate portion of the gas cylinder lock extending under the barrel.

It was considered impractical by the engineers engaged in the development of the gun to allow recoil of the launcher to be absorbed by the arcuate extension of the gas cylinder lock due to the possibility of extensive deformation thereof under the heavy blows of the launcher tube. And, it was considered impractical to employ resilient split ring springs for retaining grenades in firing position on the launcher since it was found that the useful life thereof was considerably less than the life of the launcher.

It is an object of my invention to provide a grenade launcher adapted for transmitting recoil to a firearm without damage thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a launcher having a simple, durable and effective device for retaining a grenade thereon during launching.

A further object of my invention is to provide a launcher having a grenade retaining device adapted for smooth, accurate launching of a grenade from a firearm.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the subsequent description and drawings.

According to my invention, the bracket of a grenade launcher of the type used in conjunction with an M1 rifle is provided with a recoil pad for engaging the gas cylinder of the rifle during recoil of the launcher. Spaced notches in the pad allow escape of gases when the valve of the gas cylinder is opened by the launcher stud. In addition, spaced longitudinal springs secured to the periphery of the grenade launcher tube are biased outwardly to grip the inside surface of the tubular mounting portion of a rifle grenade.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference is made to the following description and drawings of my invention in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of one embodiment of my invention assembled to a gun and in normal position thereon;

States Patent 2,748,518 Patented June 5, 1956 Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same apparatus assembled to the gun and in recoil position;

Fig. 3 is a partial bottom view of the launcher shown in Fig. l

Fig. 4 is a view along 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. Sis a view along 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of Fig. 1 including a retaining spring; and

Fig. 7 is a view along 77 of Fig. 1.

According to the drawing, grenade launcher 12 is assembled to gun 13 including barrel 14 and gas cylinder 15 connected by gas passage 16. Gas escape valve 17 is included in cylinder 15 and biased to closed position by spring 18. Bayonet lug 19 secured to the bottom surface of gas cylinder 15 is provided with projecting head 19A.

Launcher 12 includes tubular member 20 for enclosing the muzzle of barrel 14 and bracket member 21 integral therewith. Bracket member 21 is provided with offset portion. 22 having bifurcations 22A at the free end thereof. Pin 23 is laterally secured in bifurcations 22A and U- shaped latch 24 is pivoted on pin 23. The latch 24 is retained in attachment position as in Figs. 1 and 2 by spring cars 25 formed thereon.

Plunger 26 slidably positioned between bifurcations 22A is provided with tongue portion 27 adapted to fit under bayonet lug head 19A and a piston 28 forwardly extending into recess 28A. of offset portion 22. Pin 23 projects through elongated hole 26A provided in plunger 26.

Plunger spring 29 in recess 28A biases piston 28 to cause plunger 26 to engage bayonet lug 19, thereby to dispose launcher 12 in normal attachment position as shown in Fig. 1.

Tubular member 20 is provided with spaced longitudinal surface slots each including inverted T-section 30 and parallel side section 31, as respectively shown in Figs. 4 and 5. M-shaped retaining spring 32 provided in each of the slots includes parallel outer members 33 restrained in T-section 30 and elongated inner members 34 extending longitudinally into p arallel-side section 31. Inner members 34 are formed to project in a loop from the surface of tubular member 20.

Conventional rifle grenade 35 attached to launcher 12 is shown in Fig. l. The grenade is provided with mounting portion 36 having launching aperture 37 therein and is assembled to launcher 12 by pushing mounting portion 36 on tubular member 20, over springs 32. The settings of grenade 35 on launcher 12 for various ranges are indicated by raised index rings 38 provided on tubular member 20 and grenade 35 is resiliently retained in a particular range setting during launching by engagement of springs 32 With the inner surface of mounting portion 36.

Stud 39 provided on bracket member 21 is disposed to enter cylinder 15 as in Fig. 1 when launcher 12 is attached to gun 13. Grenade 35 is launched responsive to discharge of a blank cartridge in gun 13 and launcher 12 recoils towards gun 13 to the position shown in Fig. 2 in consequence of the discharge. Stud 39 is adapted to open valve 17 as launcher 12 moves to recoil position thereof. Stud 39 projects integrally from a recoil pad 40 formed at the junction of bracket member 21 and tubular member 2% and provided with a surface 41 for engaging the front end of gas cylinder 15. during the recoil movement imparted to launcher 12 upon the discharge of a grenade therefrom. An annular groove 43 is provided about the base of stud 39 and communicates with a plurality of radially disposed relief channels 42 opening into the exterior periphery of recoil pad 40 to allow escape of the exhaust gases from the blank cartridges.

Tests of launchers, incorporating the improvements outlined above, indicate that the longitudinal wire springs 1. In a grenade launcher for a gas-operated firearm having a barrel and a forwardly opening gas cylinder, the combination of a tubular grenade mount fitting over the muzzle end of the barrel and having a rearwardly extending offset bracket portion, latch means for slidably securing said bracket portion to the gas cylinder, a gas escape valve mounted in the gas cylinder for slidable movement between an open and a closed position, spring means normally biasing said valve to the closed position thereof, a recoil pad at the junction of said grenade mount and said bracket portion coaxial with the opening in the front end of the gas cylinder and of sutficient area to block the passage of gases therefrom upon contact therewith during the recoil movement of said tubular grenade mount, a stud projecting integrally from said recoil pad to extend into the gas cylinder and open said valve during the recoil movement imparted to said tubular grenade mount in response to the launching of a grenade therefrom, said recoil pad having an annular groove about the base of said stud and a plurality of radially disposed relief channels disposed between said annular groove and the exterior periphery of said recoil pad for providing passage to the atmosphere for the gases escaping past said valve in the open position thereof during the blocking of the front end of the gas cylinder by said recoil pad.

2. In a grenade launcher for a gas operated firearm having a barrel and a forwardly opening gas cylinder secured to the underside of the barrel, the combination of a grenade mount having a tubular portion fitting over the muzzle end of the barrel and an offset bracket portion extending rearwardly beneath the gas cylinder for slidable resilient engagement therewith, valve means in the gas cylinder for normally blocking the escape of discharge gases through the front end thereof, a recoil pad at the junction of said tubular and offset portions of said grenade mount coaxial with the opening in the front end of the gas cylinder and of sufficient area to completely block the opening at the conclusion of the recoil movement imparted to said mount in response to the launching of a grenade therefrom, a stud projecting rearwardly from the center of said recoil pad to extend into the open front end of the gas cylinder and open said valve means during the recoil movement of said grenade mount, said recoil pad having a plurality of relief channels formed into the front face thereof about the base of said stud and extending out to the exterior periphery of said pad to provide the sole escape passage for the flow of the discharge gases past said valve means during the interval in which said recoil pad blocks the open front end of the gas cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,339,285 Moore Jan. 18, 1944 2,455,361 Garand Dec. 7, 1948 2,564,684 Garand Aug. 21, 1951 

